Evaluation of Housing First Initiative for Chicago Homeless With Chronic Medical Illness

Official Title ICMJE

Evaluation of the Housing First Initiative of Chicago Housing for Health Partnership

Brief Summary

The study hypothesizes that early housing after hospitalization with case management integrated into the health and housing systems, will results in decreased use of costly health services (i.e., hospitalizations and Emergency Room visits) with no negative affect on health. To address this hypothesis the investigators implemented a Randomized controlled trial of 407 homeless adults with chronic medical illness in Chicago. Eligible homeless adults were enrolled during a hospitalization to intervention - Early housing with case management - or usual care - usual case management and housing options. The investigators followed the sample for 18 months with assessments at baseline, 1,3,6,9,12 and 18 months are enrollment. Study measures include Quality of Life, Health service use, Alcohol and Substance Use, housing and social and demographic characteristics.

patients randomized to the study group are offerred respite care/interim housing and case management upon discharge from enrolling hospitalization. They are also offerred stable housing within 90 days of enrolling hospital discharge, with case management at all 3 stages - hospital, respite care/interim housing, and stable housing.

Study Arm (s)

Experimental: Study group

These patients are assigned to the intervention of early supportive housing with case management integrated into the medical system. These subjects are offerred respite care/interim housing upon discharge from enrolling hospitalizations, followed by stable housing within 90 days. They have a case manager at each stage (hospital, respite/interim housing, and stable housing)

Intervention: Other: case management and supportive housing

No Intervention: Usual Care

These patients receive usual social services for hospital discharge planning.